Carbonated fruit juice beverages and process of manufacture

Abstract

A method for producing a carbonated juice beverage, and carbonated fruit beverages produced according to the method. The method includes the steps of providing a juice, typically a fruit juice, cooling and carbonating the juice to form carbonated juice, bottling the carbonated juice to form sealed bottles containing the carbonated juice, and pasteurizing the carbonated juice in the sealed bottles.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of producing a carbonated juice beverage, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a juice;    cooling and carbonating the juice to form carbonated juice;    bottling the carbonated juice to form sealed bottles containing the carbonated juice; and    pasteurizing the carbonated juice in the sealed bottles.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of cooling and carbonating the juice comprises carbonating the juice at a CO 2  carbonation rate of between about 2.4 to 3.4 volumes.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of cooling and carbonating the juice comprises cooling the juice to a temperature of between about 34° F. to 38° F.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of pasteurizing the carbonated juice in the sealed bottles comprises the juice reaching a temperature of between about 145° F. and 185° F.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of pasteurizing the carbonated juice in the sealed bottles comprises running the bottles through a tunnel pasteurizer.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of cooling and carbonating the juice comprises cooling the juice to a temperature of between about 34° F. to 38° F.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of providing a juice comprises providing a juice and at least one other ingredient chosen from the group consisting of natural flavoring, artificial flavoring, natural color, artificial color, and vitamin fortified ingredients, which are mixed together prior to the step of cooling and carbonating the juice to form carbonated juice.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing a juice comprises providing a juice which is a mixture of a juice concentrate and water which are mixed together prior to the step of cooling and carbonating the juice to form carbonated juice.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of cooling and carbonating the juice comprises carbonating the juice at a CO 2  carbonation rate of between about 2.4 to 3.4 volumes.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of cooling and carbonating the juice comprises cooling the juice to a temperature of between about 34° F. to 38° F.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of pasteurizing the carbonated juice in the sealed bottles comprises the juice reaching a temperature of between about 145° F. and 185° F.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of pasteurizing the carbonated juice in the sealed bottles comprises running the bottles through a tunnel pasteurizer.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of cooling and carbonating the juice comprises cooling the juice to a temperature of between about 34° F. to 38° F.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of providing a juice comprises providing a juice and at least one other ingredient chosen from the group consisting of natural flavoring, artificial flavoring, natural color, artificial color, and vitamin fortified ingredients, which are mixed together prior to the step of cooling and carbonating the juice to form carbonated juice.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of providing a juice comprises providing a juice and at least one other ingredient chosen from the group consisting of natural flavoring, artificial flavoring, natural color, artificial color, and vitamin fortified ingredients, which are mixed together prior to the step of cooling and carbonating the juice to form carbonated juice.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of cooling and carbonating the juice comprises carbonating the juice at a CO 2  carbonation rate of between about 2.4 to 3.4 volumes.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of pasteurizing the carbonated juice in the sealed bottles comprises the juice reaching a temperature of between about 145° F. and 185° F.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of pasteurizing the carbonated juice in the sealed bottles comprises running the bottles through a tunnel pasteurizer.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of cooling and carbonating the juice comprises cooling the juice to a temperature of between about 34° F. to 38° F.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of bottling the carbonated juice comprises forming sealed single-serve bottles containing the carbonated juice.  
     
     
         21 . A carbonated juice beverage, comprising a carbonated, pasteurized juice in a sealed container.  
     
     
         22 . The beverage of  claim 21 , wherein the sealed container comprises a sealed single-serve bottle.  
     
     
         23 . The beverage of  claim 21 , wherein during processing the juice has been cooled and carbonated at a CO 2  carbonation rate of between about 2.4 to 3.4 volumes.  
     
     
         24 . The beverage of  claim 23 , wherein during processing the juice was cooled to a temperature of between about 34° F. to 38° F.  
     
     
         25 . The beverage of  claim 23 , wherein during processing the juice was pasteurized in the sealed containers comprising bottles wherein the juice reached a temperature of between about 145° F. and 185° F.  
     
     
         26 . The beverage of  claim 25 , wherein during processing the juice was cooled to a temperature of between about 34° F. to 38° F.  
     
     
         27 . The beverage of  claim 21 , wherein the juice further comprises at least one other ingredient chosen from the group consisting of natural flavoring, artificial flavoring, natural color, artificial color, and vitamin fortified ingredients.  
     
     
         28 . The beverage of  claim 21 , wherein the juice comprises a mixture of a juice concentrate and water.  
     
     
         29 . The beverage of  claim 28 , wherein the sealed container comprises a sealed single-serve bottle.  
     
     
         30 . The beverage of  claim 28 , wherein during processing the juice has been cooled and carbonated at a CO 2  carbonation rate of between about 2.4 to 3.4 volumes.  
     
     
         31 . The beverage of  claim 30 , wherein during processing the juice was cooled to a temperature of between about 34° F. to 38° F.  
     
     
         32 . The beverage of  claim 30 , wherein during processing the juice was pasteurized in the sealed containers comprising bottles wherein the juice reached a temperature of between about 145° F. and 185° F.  
     
     
         33 . The beverage of  claim 32 , wherein during processing the juice was cooled to a temperature of between about 34° F. to 38° F.  
     
     
         34 . The beverage of  claim 28 , wherein the juice further comprises at least one other ingredient chosen from the group consisting of natural flavoring, artificial flavoring, natural color, artificial color, and vitamin fortified ingredients.  
     
     
         35 . A method of producing a carbonated juice beverage, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a juice;    pasteurizing the juice;    cooling and carbonating the juice to form carbonated juice; and    bottling the carbonated juice to form sealed bottles containing the carbonated juice.    
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the step of cooling and carbonating the juice comprises carbonating the juice at a CO 2  carbonation rate of between about 2.4 to 3.4 volumes.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the step of cooling and carbonating the juice comprises cooling the juice to a temperature of between about 34° F. to 38° F.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the step of pasteurizing the carbonated juice in the sealed bottles comprises the juice reaching a temperature of between about 145° F. and 185° F.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the step of cooling and carbonating the juice comprises cooling the juice to a temperature of between about 34° F. to 38° F.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 3   5 , wherein the step of providing a juice comprises providing a juice which is a mixture of a juice concentrate and water which are mixed together prior to the step of cooling and carbonating the juice to form carbonated juice.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the step of cooling and carbonating the juice comprises cooling the juice in a cooling tower to below room temperature prior to carbonating.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the step of cooling and carbonating the juice comprises carbonating the juice at a CO 2  carbonation rate of between about 2.4 to 3.4 volumes.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the step of cooling and carbonating the juice comprises cooling the juice to a temperature of between about 34° F. to 38° F.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the step of pasteurizing the carbonated juice in the sealed bottles comprises the juice reaching a temperature of between about 145° F. and 185° F.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the step of cooling and carbonating the juice comprises cooling the juice to a temperature of between about 34° F. to 38° F.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the step of bottling the carbonated juice comprises forming sealed single-serve bottles containing the carbonated juice.